


You are an idiot, Jesse McCree

by Akiko_Natsuko



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Blood and Injury, Doubt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fear, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Memories, Missions Gone Wrong, Serious Injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-17
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-10-30 01:02:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17818829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akiko_Natsuko/pseuds/Akiko_Natsuko
Summary: “You are an idiot, Jesse McCree,” Genji whispered against his lips, startling a laugh from the gunslinger which promptly became a groan, as his body once again reminded him of why they were in this current situation. “We are going to talk about this later,” Genji added, not missing the noise or the way McCree had tensed, before practically curling in on himself, and it was both a promise and threat.





	You are an idiot, Jesse McCree

    McCree had always thought that nothing could possibly hurt more than losing his arm had, metallic fingers clenching, as even now there was a phantom ache at the memory of that terrible time. An echo that lingered in his body, even after all this time.  However, whether the memory of that day had dimmed with time, or whether it was just because the pain in his side was vividly present and real, but he found himself wanting to eat his words, as he bit back a pained gasp. He’d managed not to make a noise during their desperate flight after he’d gone down, knowing that if they were found again, they wouldn’t be getting out of this. The sounds of pursuit had faded a while ago, and finally, Genji was coming to a halt after forcing him through the seemingly endless maze of corridors and rooms, and now he was finding it harder to stay quiet. Desperately biting down on his bottom lip to try and swallow back a noise, as Genji finally halted and began to settle him down on the ground.

    It became a lost battle when he promptly threatened to topple over, forcing Genji to reach out and catch him, grip a little too tight before he managed to settle McCree back against the wall to stop him falling again. Between the grip and the motion that had caught the deep wound in his side, there was no way for him to stop the low groan that slipped out, tapering off into a whimper as he attempted to find a position that wouldn’t pull on the stab wound. He wasn’t aware of how bad the sound had been, until Genji spoke in a flat tone, that McCree recognised as the other man frantically trying to bury his emotions.

“Sorry.”  A single word, and yet it spoke volumes. It was also the most that his partner had said since he’d been taken down in the middle of the fight. He’d been a hair too slow in spying and dodging the knife in his assailant’s hand, distracted by the sight of Genji being slammed into a wall, the lights in his suit flickering red for a terrifying second. McCree grimaced, and not just because of the throbbing pain in his abdomen which seemed to be getting worse with each breath, but because he could feel the tension that had been building during their escape practically radiating from the other man, and because of the flat tone Genji had just used. It was the same tone that Genji had used back when he’d first joined Blackwatch. The same careful distance that he’d tried and failed to maintain between himself and everyone else, a rigidity born from the fear of being abandoned or hurt again, and he ached to hear that tone again, tilting his head back so that he could study Genji.

“This wasn’t your fault.” It didn’t come out quite as soothing as he’d intended it to be, his breathing slightly strained as he found himself biting back another pained noise, his fingers clenching against the serape that Genji had all but torn off his shoulders to bundle against the wound when he’d first realised what had happened. The words didn’t appear to have worked either, because Genji was still carefully looking anywhere but at him, preventing McCree from being able to see his eyes, as they both knew that would give him a clear read on his emotions.

    However, that didn’t mean that McCree was utterly clueless about what Genji was feeling right now, or what he was thinking, as he had made it his mission to learn how to read the other man in moments like this. He could see it now in the way that Genji was fiddling with his metallic hand, little twitches that were barely noticeable unless you knew to look for them, and he bit back a sigh, realising that Genji’s thoughts had strayed back to another, darker time. “Genji…” There was still no reply, Genji refusing to look at him, and ignoring the fact that this was probably a terrible idea right now, McCree lunged forward to reach for him, abruptly feeling as though Genji was about to slip through his fingers. It was a mistake, his vision whiting out briefly as pain burst through his side, before lancing through his body, until it felt like he was ablaze under the force of it, and he was distantly aware of the strangled noise he was making.

    When the world eventually came back into focus, albeit with a haze still lurking around the periphery of his vision, it was to find that he had managed to latch onto his prize despite everything, Genji’s hand clasped loosely in his. The fact that Genji hadn’t pulled away was telling in its own way, because McCree knew that he wouldn’t have been able to hold onto him right now, chest rising raggedly, as the pain reluctantly faded to a background throbbing. He tightened his grip, not sure whether it was to stop Genji from retreating, or to ground himself, before deciding it didn’t matter as he forced out the rest of what he wanted to say before the haze could spread again, knowing that he had Genji’s attention now, although he was still looking anywhere but at him. “Genji, this isn’t anything like what happened to you. Missions go to hell sometimes, and we just got unlucky.” _Very unlucky…_

“I know…”

“Do you?” McCree demanded, weaker than he would’ve liked, the words a little too on the breathy side, and apparently Genji felt the same because he was looking at him now, eyes narrowed, the only outward sign of concern that he would allow himself when there was the possibility of being seen by an outsider, even after all this time. However, McCree wasn’t just anyone, and he could see the uncertainty lurking beneath the concern, and the reluctance to accept McCree’s words and he couldn’t help but roll his eyes, even as he let himself sink back against the wall. “Don’t look at me with those eyes, this ain’t your fault.”

“You were distracted because of me.”

“I was distracted because my teammate was in danger,” McCree countered, refusing to admit aloud that there had been more to his reaction. That it had been different than it would have been for anyone else in their makeshift group, even those he had known longer than Genji, and this time he was the one to glance away. He could hide behind those words, but that couldn’t block out the memory of how his gut had tightened, twisting itself in knots when he had realised that Genji was in trouble, or how fear had slowed him for a second. How, if it had been anyone else, he could’ve reacted quicker, and more decisively, and they would probably have walked out of this in one piece. He swallowed, forcing the memory back as he looked at Genji once more. “It would’ve happened with anyone. Hell, it has happened, you know that, and I can all but guarantee that it will happen again.” He had been too late before, back before the fall. He had lost this makeshift family once before, and there were still holes, losses that couldn’t be forgotten, and he wasn’t about to let that happen again, even if it meant risking his neck a little more than necessary.

    Apparently, that had been the wrong thing to say, because Genji had tensed, as rigid as the sword strapped to his back, and he was looking at him now. Glaring at him with the same fire that had dominated his eyes almost constantly in those early Blackwatch days, and McCree tensed and had to fight the urge to recoil. Genji had changed, the years softening his sharp edges, and soothing the barbed wire that had been his soul, but that didn’t stop him from being terrifying when he wanted. However, McCree wouldn’t apologise for his words, because he had meant every single one of them, but he still ducked his head, knowing that Genji had lost more than him and that the other man feared to lose this precious, tentative thing that they were all building. That the two of them were building between them. His fear matched only by McCree’s fear of finding himself alone once more, a fear that put a waver in his voice as he tried again. “Genji…”

     He was cut off by a familiar hissing sound, but before he even had a chance to wonder why his partner was removing his helmet, especially when they were still in dangerous territory before there was scarred lips pressed against his.

   There was nothing gentle or tender about the kiss, and it contrasted sharply with the clumsy, hesitant one that had greeted him on his arrival at the Watchpoint when he’d finally decided to answer the recall. That one had been a ‘welcome home’, whereas this was rougher and more desperate – a frantic reaffirmation that they were both alive, that they were here and that…

“You are an idiot, Jesse McCree,” Genji whispered against his lips, startling a laugh from the gunslinger which promptly became a groan, as his body once again reminded him of why they were in this current situation. “We are going to talk about this later,” Genji added, not missing the noise or the way McCree had tensed, before practically curling in on himself, and it was both a promise and threat. However, it still brought a smile to McCree’s lips as he realised that Genji was thinking about the future now and not the past, and he didn’t argue as his partner gently nudged his trembling hand aside so that he could take over keeping the pressure on the stab wound. Nor did he miss the gentle brush of fingers against his as Genji twined their free hands together, and his expression softened, even though his smile was more of a grimace than anything now as he let his eyes drift shut.

“Sounds like a plan…”


End file.
